Island in the Gulf

Island in the Gulf was the brain child of Jack Benjamin who worked in Aramco's Public Relations Department. His son Mike and his close friends: Jeff Jones, Jim Mandis and myself were fanatic skin divers, so Jack figured that it would be a great idea for Aramco to produce a movie about some teenage boys who travel to Juraid Island in the company of two scientists to explore the island's flora and fauna. The late Charlie Armstrong, an avid amateur naturalist, and Stephen Bates joined us as the American youths while Jim Mandaville and Dr. Alio were drafted for their scientific credentials. The Academy Award winning director Richard Lyford and the accomplished Palestinian cinematographer Jack Madvo did most of the filming with the assistance of the film editor Ibrahim Yousef. 
      We camped on Juraid for three nights, spearfished all day, chased birds and had the exquisite experience of seeing giant sea turtles laying their eggs at night to mention just a few of the highlights. It was one of the best times of our lives. Unfortunately the film was re-edited with the inclusion of some clumsy voice overs that detract a bit from the show but don't diminish the splendor of visiting a pristine island in the gulf.
      This trip resulted in my first published article, "Of Turtles and Terns", which was printed in the May/June 1968 edition of Aramco World. I was delighted to be published but didn't know that they paid too. I was a sophomore in college when I received a check for $300 and nearly fell over. I used some of the money to buy a portable typewriter as there seemed to be a future in this writing business.